How to Build a Catapult: STEM Learning Activity

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Have you always wanted to learn how to build a catapult? Yes? I thought so… Me, too. Making this homemade catapult is really quite easy! I can’t wait to show you. This one way cooler than those little popsicle stick catapults you have probably seen before! 🙂

A building a catapult is an awesome STEM project because kids are learning so many things!

Catapult Learning Connections:

Engineering: You are learning how to build a catapult that will stay together and work well.

Science: Teach about kinetic and potential energy with the process of pulling back and releasing.

Teach force and velocity. You could change the weight and size of the ball you use to catapult and test to see if it goes a different distance or height.
History: Catapults have been around for thousands of years! There is so much cool history you could delve into here. This type of catapult we are making is closest to a Ballista catapult.

How to Build a Catapult:

I promise you when I say this is an easy project! With just looking at a picture, I’d bet you most kids (upper elementary on up) could easily make this.

Supplies to Build a Catapult:

6 wooden dowels (ours are 3 ft long)
9 large rubberbands

Small plastic or paper cup

Single hole punch
Scissors

Small balls or balls of paper (or Jumbo Marshmallows!)

Let’s start with building the catapult structure. Use three of the wooden dowels and make them into a triangle by attaching the corners with rubber bands.

Then the next three dowels you also attach as a triangle, but standing up like a tepee or a pyramid. Add one at a time going upward from each corner of the first triangle. Then connect them with a rubber band in the center on top.

Next, take your plastic cup and punch three holes in it- evenly spaced around the top of the cup.

Cut three rubber bands in half and tie them through the holes in the cup. The other ends of the rubber bands need to be tied to the top part of the catapult, and two bottom corners. You’ll need some bigger rubber bands to make this work. If your rubber bands are not long enough (mine were not) tie on three more runner bands to the ends so they can stretch all of the way down the dowels.

Shoot the Catapult!

Put a ball into the cup, pull back and let it fly!!! You have now finished building a catapult. Everyone will be impressed. (And you don’t have to tell them how easy it was!) 😉

We built this catapult years ago and I figured it was due for some updated pictures, but I had to retain a piece of history on the site by keeping this good old original picture! This older picture was with my oldest son. I am now repeating it with my third child. He is SO excited about it and spent forever shooting balls across the yard! I love repeating favorite projects again with my younger kids.

Looking for more cool STEM engineering projects? Check out a few of these:

Bubble Blower Machine
Make Paper Hold Up Books
Engineering Building Toys with PVC Pipes

Here are a couple of other cool catapult projects from some blogging friends:

Popsicle Stick Catapult from Frugal Fun for Boys & Girls
Ice Cream Scoop Catapult from JDaniel4’s Mom
Pencil Catapult from Little Bins for Little Hands

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Comments

Carolyn Wilhelm says
September 25, 2012 at 8:53 pm

It sounds like this unit really makes history and Bible verses come aluve for children! The other units sound great, too. Carolyn

Carolyn Wilhelm says
September 25, 2012 at 8:53 pm

Alive, I was texting

Jackie Higgins says
September 26, 2012 at 12:05 pm

This looks so fun! My nephews are in 2 and 3 grade and I bet they would love this. I’ll have to send it to their mom. These would be great snow day activities for public school kids!

The Educators Spin On It says
September 28, 2012 at 2:16 pm

Thank you for sharing on our Afterschool Linky. What a fun unit this would be to create afterschool as you’re learning. I love how simple the design is with dowels and rubber bands and a cup!

Erin Ahern says
August 18, 2019 at 5:23 pm

What size dowel rods did you use ? (Width)